intro..

The influence that our surroundings can have on our thoughts and emotions has been evident to me since I was a child, but in looking back over my life, I can see the power that place has had over my art as well. Three major locations have brought my art to the point that it is today: Santa Barbara, Southern Oregon, and Mexico.

In Santa Barbara, I developed my love of surf and sand, but also had my first carving experience, thanks to a Forest Service sign carver named Clair Stewart. He not only taught me respect for the medium of wood, but also gave this eager 10 year old a set of tools which started me off on the path to carving.

My real carving started, however, when I moved to Oregon in 1975, driving my ‘53 GMC pick-up at 25 mph from San Francisco because I had lost 3rd gear. During this slow trip up the coast, I stopped at numerous galleries. I realized after looking at some of the carvings that I could buy a chain saw and create pieces that were even better. Also, living in the forest led me to an understanding of nature which I believe is essential to the artist’s vision and which is reflected in my work’s earthy colors and timeless appearance.

Finally, in Mexico, I fell under the spell of the sensuous, a spell which lasts until the present day as I feel the warmth of a soft Mexican night. It was also in Mexico that I received my nickname “Tequila Dudley” from a group of Mexican workers who were amazed that a Gringo shared their love of and capacity for Tequila.

My goal with the Tequila Dudley website is to by-pass the galleries and the critics and get my art into the hands of people who will appreciate it. The love of a piece of art is a subjective experience and doesn’t need the mediation of critics. While I’m certainly available to do custom work, my main emphasis on this site is to produce molds from cement and other materials that patrons could use in their gardens or landscaping.